Lighting system control



Nov. 19, 1935. u. w. BARRETT LIGHTING SYSTEM CONTROL Filed May 19, 1953 lnvenlor U- H @a fri 77` Byuw llorney Pwd Nov. iai-ass UNITED STATES 1PATENT-OFFI'CE Y mam 3 ucn'rnm srs'nnl connor.

umwandeln-md mneenumkawmmam im 10.1933. saai No. man

' :cu-a (a. lr11-rn andan'angedtothc ards of efliciency and capability of being producedinquantity.

Other objects and advantagesof'my'mvention matictamofthetshowthemaunerofitaincorporationinoneconventional form of automobile lighting Thelight switch d inthe drawing will preferably be mountedgupon shownare ,Pairs the steering wheelpostofthevehiclesoastobecapableof beingreadilyandaccuratelyoperatedbythe operator, several suitable forms ofwhich will readily occur to thoseskllled inthe art, and 5 any suitable kind of. relavs may be utilized which areofsimpleandpositiveactingtype. Those.

equipped with springs to positively move the armahu'es. It will be understood that boththeheadlampsandthe'taillampareofw the double vlament type, sothat the changeover may be made from onelament tothe otherby theantomaticaction ofthe relays as one ofthe filaments burns out or becomes in some other manner disabled. It is believed that a suitable construction and arrangement of the parts shown inthe drawing is evident, and that the coordination and operation thereof will be evident from the following. y

Any suitable form of light switch may be utilized which comprises a single contactA T, and aligned and spaced from this a doublelength contact O, and laterally spaced from-this anomer double length contact H, vsind iat'erany spaced from the contact n, two laterally paced 25 of aligned contacts J, X, and, D, K, re-

switch arm carries contacting element N for'A either corntectv T or contact 0 when in an "on" position, contacting elementA G for only contact H, contacting element I for either contact J or contact X, and contacting element C for en gaglngeither contactD or contactK.

As shown contacts J and K are connected together-,asareccntactsDandX ContactDis connected by conductor l to the Enlaments of two or more double filament head lamp bulbs, and the remaining lamentsL of these. bulbs are connectedk by conductor 1 to the contact K. The contact T is connected by a conductor 9u 40 totheclmductorlwhichhas oneendconnected` 'tothefllamentUofthetaillampbulbQandits remaining endconnectedto one side of the magnetcoilof therelayP. Theremainingside of the saidmagnetcoiliseonnectedby acontinuatimoftheconductoritothedouble lengthswitch contact O. y ThecontactingelelnentNoftheswitcharmis connectedbyoneoftwobranchesofaconductor i, through a fuse A, to one side ofthe battery. The remaining branch of the conductor i connects with one side of the magnet coil of the relay B, whose side is connected by conductor 2 tothe nmcung element c of the switch arm. The contactingelement G is connected' by' 65 5a connects the conductor a conductor I to the portion of the conductor I which is between the battery and the fuse A.

, l Le contacting element I ot the switch arm is connectedby a` conductor 6 vto one oi a pmr o! relay contacts F of the relay B.

The remaining one of the relay contacts F of the relay B is connected by the conductor l to the signal bulb M. One of the pair o! relay conf tacts S belonging to the relay P is connected to bulb M by conductor II. The remaining one oi the relay contacts S is connected by a. conductor IIJ to the illament V of the tail lamp bulb Q with the filament U of which the conductor 9 has already been described as connected. f

The only conductor remaining undcribed is conductor 5 and its single branch 5a. The'conductor 5 connects the relay armature contacting element F of relay B with the relay amature contacting element S of relay P, while its branch 5 to the double length light switch contact H.

It is to be noted that any arrangement of switch equivalent to that shown and described above is contemplated by the invention..-l

'Ihe relay B includes the spring tensioned armature which carrics the relay contacting element F in closing and opening relation to the relay contacts F. The conventional arrangement of screw B' which is threaded in the amature to engage the magnet and is utilized to adjust the spacing of the armature away from the magnet of the relay so that the armature will be held `in the attracted position only when both of the head lamp bulb fllamentsand the wires leading thereto are intact. In such a case a larger amount of magnetic flux is produced in the magnet than is the case when only one of these laments or wires or none of them is intact. In the latter case insufiicient magnetic flux obtains in the said magnetto retain the armature in the attracted position and the armature is moved by its spring to the relay lcontact closing position, which action eilects the transfer of energizatiorn from the faulty filament to the remaining intact filament.

` The relay P has a similar spring tensioned arl mature P', which, however is not provided with an adjusting screw such as the screw B used for adjusting'the sensitivity 'of the relayB.

As shown inthe drawing in full lines the switch arm occupies an ofl' or neutral position. .When

StotheElamentsof ing element C, switch contact D. and

the switch arm is moved armature contacting element 1"l ot the and the armature contacting clement S' ci' relay P. Current from the battery thrcughthefuseAtobothbrandissotoonductm I. Through one oi' these magnetcdlofthsrelayl and the remaining branch carries the current one side of the magnet coil ofthe relay B. current ilows from the remainingside of the msg-1 net coil of relay B` through switch arm the head thence to the ground ss indicated.a which makes the E nlsmsnilcnerginssthemagnetsdthsrshystorctainth armatures in the attracted positions in which the armature contacting elements F' and S are disengaged trom their pairs o! contacts F and B, respectively. However, as soon as one or both of the E la- 5 lents or the wires leading thereto become inoperative or burn out, the energization of the magnet ot relay B will lbe reduced to such an extent that sumcient magnetic flux no longer obtains to hold the amature B in its attracted D0- 10 sition, and the spring tensioning the armature B snaps the amature into engagement with the pair of relaycontacts l" and bridges the same. The eiTect of the bridging of the relay contacts F is to establish a circuit through the conductor t. 15 through contacting element I, and contacts J and K, through conductor 'I to the illaments L, L and back to the battery through the ground. The remaining side o! the battery is connected i into this circuit to energize the filaments L, LI) throughcon'ductor branch 5a and the conductor I. With the relay contacts S bridged, which may occur'at the time the relay contacts'F become bridged, the batteryfeed line I energizesalsothe changed over lament of the tail lamp bulb Q. z5

' With the switch arm in the dotted line position ted BB, the functioning of the circuit is substantially ss`describeci above except that the functioning starts with the incapacitating of the head lamp laments L, L instead ot with the yhead lamp nlaments E, E.

When the Utllament o! tail-lamp bulb Q or the wires leading thereto become inoperative or burn out, the magnet of relay P becomes -`deenergized and its armature is permitted to bridge the $5 relay contacts S, which establishesa circuit through switch contact element G and contact H, through .conductor 5a, through conductor I. 4through relay contacts, S and through conductor II to the intact illament V of the tail-lamp, there- 4o* by lichting the same. 'Ihe relays P and B work independently o! each other. v

'With the switch arm in the dotted line posi? tion or parking position designated C, C the ilow o! current from the-battery is directly through45 switch arm conmt element N. and contact T, conductor la,and conductor s to one o! the iliasoon-as either ot the relay contacts l' oi' becomebrldgedasaresultolthebumingoutrheadlamp entortheirieed Itwillbeobservedthatbecause'ofthearrsngelamp relay B to retain its armsplace. therme A should "blow" while theswitch u arm is in either the A, A or B, B position. current flow to the relay B would, of course, cease.

this deenergization of relay B its armature' is released from its attracted position lso that its contacting element F' bridges relay contacts F and the warning light M is thereby energized and indicates the presence of trouble, and a changeover is eected.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change'or changes may be made in material and structure and arrangement of parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of-the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a control for an automobile lighting system consisting of a pair of head lamp bulbs each containing a rst filament and a second filament,

a source of electrical energy connectible to either the first or the second set of filaments of said pair of head lamp bulbs and normally connected to one of the sets of fiaments, a head lamp relay interpolated between the rst and second set of s filaments of the head lamp bulbs and said source of electrical energy, said relay having means operable upon the failure of one of the filaments of onefset of head lamp bulb filaments to disconnect such set and .connect the remaining set to the source of electrical energy, said means being arranged to have an initial vposition electrically conditioned upon soundness of both of the filaments of a set, and to have a different position conditioned upon the failure of one of the last mentioned filaments;

2. In a control for an automobile lighting system consisting of a pair of head lamp bulbs each containing a first filament and a second filament, a source of electrical energy connectible to either the first or the second setI of filaments of said pair of head lamp bulbs, a head lamp relay interpolated between .the first and second set of filaments of the head lamp bulbs andsaid source of electrical energy and having means operable upon the failure of one or both of the filaments of one set of head lamp bulb filaments to deenergize such set and energize the remaining set, said means being arranged to have an initial position electrically conditioned upon soundness of both of the laments of a set, and to have a different position conditioned upon the failure `of one or bothlof the last mentioned laments, a

tail lamp bulb containing a first lament and a second filament, atail lamp relay interposed between said source of electrical energy and connected to said head lamp relay and having means operable to deenergize one of the tail lamp bulb filaments and energize the remaining tail lamp bulb filament either upon failure of one or both of the head lamp bulb filaments or upon failure of one of the tail lamp bulb filaments.

3. In a control for an automobile lighting system consisting of a pair of head-lamp bulbs each containing a first filament and a second filament,

a source of electrical energy connectible to either the first or the second set) of laments of said interpolated between the nrst and second set of filaments of the head lamp erable upon the failure of one or both of the filaments of one set of head lamp bulb filaments to deenergize auch set and energize the remaining/ set, said means being arrangedv to have an initial position electrically conditioned upon 5 soundness of both of the filaments of a set, and to have a different position conditioned upon the failure of one or both of the last mentioned filaments, fuse means interpolated between said source of electrical energy and said sets of head `larnp bulbs and headlamp relay and adapted upon blowing" to deenergize the active set of head. lamp bulbs and vsaid head lamp relay by causing the head lamp relay means to assume said diiierent position and energize the remaining set of head lamp bulb filaments. s

4. In a control for anv automobile lighting system consisting of a pair of head lamp bulbs each containing a first filament and a second filament,l a source of electrical energy connectible to either the first or the-second set of filaments of said pair of head lamp bulbs, a head lamp relay interpolated between the first and second set of filaments of the head lamp bulbs and said source of electrical energy and having means-operable upon the failure of one or both of the fila ents of one set of head lamp bulb filaments o deenergize such set and energize the remaining set, said means being arranged to have an initial position electrically conditioned upon soundness of both of the filaments of a set, and to have a different position conditioned upon the failure of one or both of the last mentioned filaments, a tall lamp bulb containing a first lament and a second filament, a tail lamp relay interpolated between said source of electrical energy and connected to said head lamp relay and having means operable to,deenergize one of the tail lamp bulb filaments and energize the remaining tail lamp bulb filament either upon failure of one or both of the head lamp bulb filaments or upon failure of one of the tail lamp bulb filaments, electrical signal means energized by either the first or second mentioned relay means in the said dierent position thereof. 45

5. In a controlfor an automobile lighting system consisting of a pair of head lamp bulbs each containing a first filament and a second filament, a source of electrical energy connectible to either the first or the second set of filaments of said pair of head lamp bulbs, a head lamp relay interposed between the first and second set of filaments of the head lamp bulbs and said source of electrical energy, said `relay having means operable upon the failure of one of the filaments of one set of head lamp bulb filaments to disconnect such set and connect the remaining set, said means being arranged toy have an initial position electrically conditioned upon soundness of both of .the filaments of a set. and to have a different position conditioned upon the failure of one of the last mentioned filaments. adjusting means for said means operable to adiust the responsiveness of said means whereby a sound condition of only one of the laments of a set will be inadequate to hold said means in said initial position `and a sound condition of both of the filaments of a set. will be necessary to hold said means in said initial position. v

l URSHEL W. 

